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Book details

Genre:BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

SubGenre:Business Communication / General

Language:English

Pages:126

eBook ISBN:9780986858284

Beyond Great Service

The Technician's Role in Proactive Business Growth

by Jim Baston

Overview

In Beyond GREAT SERVICE, Jim shows how forward-thinking service firms can integrate the customer focus and communication skills that exceptional technicians have, into something that is right at the core and heart of the service deliverable - ultimately engaging the entire service team, and creating an outstanding and differentiated customer experience.
This is not a quick-fix book with a laundry list of well-worn ideas for service managers. Jim clearly understands the psyche of the service technician and grasps the challenges that have caused many firms to struggle. This includes the significant obstacle of getting the technician team on board, while convincing them you’re not trying to transform them into salespeople.
It’s a fresh approach that will dramatically change how we define exceptional service and deliver a unique and valued customer experience. Beyond GREAT SERVICE offers up very practical approaches to ensure success, and should be required reading for every business owner and service manager.

Description

In Beyond GREAT SERVICE, Jim shows how forward-thinking service firms can integrate the customer focus and communication skills that exceptional technicians have, into something that is right at the core and heart of the service deliverable - ultimately engaging the entire service team, and creating an outstanding and differentiated customer experience.
The field service technician provides a logical way for companies to grow their businesses. Who better than the tech to discuss a company’s capabilities with the customer? They have the customer’s trust and, more importantly, have access to the decision-maker or major influencer that is often difficult for a salesperson to obtain. What’s more, some technicians are incredibly accomplished at doing just that. I can’t count the number of times I have been part of conversations where service managers lament that they can’t get all of their techs to “sell” like Jack (or Jill or Peter, etc.). They correctly point out that all of their revenue problems would be solved if only the rest of their techs could “sell” like them.
As the above example suggests, the challenge comes when the service manager tries to transfer the success of a few technicians who are exceptional at selling to the field service team as a whole. The logical approach is to equip field service technicians with the skills they will need to sell their services, and then set them loose on their customer base. If Jack can do it, then why can’t the rest? Often some sort of sales training is involved and, in many cases, an incentive plan is implemented. Experience shows that despite the time and resources dedicated to these efforts, most companies are disappointed with the results and often give up. And this is not limited to one particular industry, but can be seen time and again in technical trades across North America.
I believe the reason that more service companies do not succeed at engaging their field technicians in selling is that, those technicians who are so good at bringing in new business are not selling at all. In most cases, those exceptional technicians who are instrumental in bringing in new business do not see themselves as selling—they regard their activities as serving. It’s not surprising to note that these same technicians, who are so good at bringing in new business, also seem to have the highest customer satisfaction scores. This brings us to the underlying dilemma; many service companies look at the issue as sales related when in reality it is a service problem.
This book is about teaching technicians how to serve and how that service will bring in added revenues, AND also create an extraordinary experience that drives increased customer satisfaction and retention. Although it is written as a fictional account, it is based on my years inside the business, as well as my time consulting to companies of all descriptions and thousands of technicians across a wide range of technical trades. The storyline addresses the hurdles that can frustrate attempts to implement a service culture of this nature and what can be done to overcome them.

About the author

Jim Baston is President of BBA Consulting Group Inc., a consulting and training firm located in Ontario, Canada. Since founding BBA Consulting Group in 2001, Jim has focused his attention on helping technical service companies develop and implement strategies to reap the windfall profits that are trapped in their existing business development resources.
As a key component of his company’s offering, Jim spearheaded the development of a service initiative called Proactive Service® to successfully engage field service technicians more actively in business development activities. He has worked with service firms across North America to help them develop the systems and focus to create a successful program. Jim has worked with and trained more than 2,000 service technicians in a broad range of service industries. Jim has also developed and delivered a workshop specifically for Service Managers called Coaching the Proactive Service® Team. This program is designed to help field service managers reinforce and support the skills necessary for their technicians to be more proactive in business development activities.
Jim holds an MBA from the University of Toronto, and has lectured on marketing management and strategic planning at Seneca College in Toronto. Jim has achieved the recognition as a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and is a member of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants and the Canadian Society for Training and Development.